15 years after... I am back MIBF ^_^

 

The last time I attended the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) was 15 years ago, in 2009. I guess that year also marked the time I stopped collecting books. Life got busy, and I no longer had time to read. Those were also the years when I found myself watching series and K-dramas instead of reading.

But anyway, after a decade and a half, I've found my way back to books. So this year, I decided to visit MIBF again. I was curious to see how things had changed, especially after the pandemic (2020-2021).

I went on September 13, a Friday. I figured that if I went on Saturday or Sunday, there would be too many people, and I’m not a fan of crowded spaces. I expected quite a lot of people on Friday too, considering it was just before payday. But to my surprise, the crowd was manageable—probably because I arrived at 10 a.m.

The most prominent booths at this year's MIBF were National Book Store (NBS) and Fully Booked. I heard this was the first year NBS rejoined MIBF since the pandemic. They hadn’t participated right after the event restarted.

NBS offered a lot of bargains this year, with prices as low as Php 99, and promotions like “Buy 2, Get 2 Free.” However, while that might sound like a great deal, the books in that category ranged from Php 400-1000, which still seemed too expensive for me, as I’d end up spending around Php 800-2000. Most of the titles were classics I’ve already read, so I wasn’t that interested.

However, something under the Php 199 section did catch my eye.

One of my favorite authors’ newest series was priced at Php 199. Without a second thought, I grabbed it, knowing it usually costs around Php 300-400. I didn’t technically need to buy it since I already had the audiobook version, but there's just something about having a physical book. I’m also not a fan of ebooks.

Fully Booked, on the other hand, is still as expensive as ever. They only offered a 20% discount, which is pretty standard for them. Though they do have a wide selection of titles, especially for big book fandoms like manga, manhwa, and danmei, their prices are quite steep, in my opinion.

Most of the other booths on the first floor were either children's books or academic textbooks. Honestly, MIBF seems more beneficial for students and teachers. They offered textbooks and reference books for as low as Php 100-500, which typically cost over a thousand pesos. It made me wonder if these were new and current editions or if they were older ones.

There were also local authors holding book signings.

Back in 2009, MIBF only occupied the first floor of the SMX Convention Center at Mall of Asia, but this year, they also rented the second floor. Although I noticed some publishers and book distributors were absent this year, there were also new faces for me.

Take Tankobonbon, for instance. I didn’t see them back in 2009, probably because manga was so rare back then. But with the rise in popularity of manga, manhwa, and danmei, it’s no surprise stores like Tankobonbon have emerged. Aside from NBS and Fully Booked, they carry legit, original copies of these genres.

This brings me to a side topic. Back when I collected books (circa 2004-2009), I didn’t know pirated books existed. Recently, I discovered that they do, and they can look pretty convincing. The price and print quality are usually the giveaways, but even then, the quality is still decent.

On the second floor, a local publisher caught my attention: the publisher of Trese.

When Trese first came out, it caught my eye because its theme centers around Filipino mythology and supernatural beings. Plus, it reminded me of my favorite author’s NY Times bestselling series. I think I have all five volumes, but I’m not entirely sure. I’ll have to check my collection because I don’t want to accidentally buy something I already own.

19th Avenida Publishing seems to specialize in supernatural stories by local authors, and one book really stood out to me. I hadn’t planned to buy it because it was expensive, especially for something so thin. It took me a while to decide, but I justified the purchase by telling myself the synopsis was intriguing, let this be my contrition to the Filipino Literary Community. 

The book that caught my attention was titled Ang Nawawalang Barangay. I initially thought it was a fictional story based on the Biringan myth from Leyte, but after flipping through a few pages, it seemed like it wasn’t. Still, it piqued my curiosity.

It came as part of a bundle. I could have just bought this one book for Php 450 (it's priced at Php 500 in bookstores), but the bundle was Php 975 for three books, with a 25% discount. However, the discount was based on the publisher's price, so I got more than 25% off. The other two books in the bundle also seemed interesting.

The blue book, titled Agaw Anino, caught my eye, but it’s so thin that the Php 315 price seemed ridiculous. It’s a first-prize winner of the Palanca Awards, which is the Philippines' longest-running literary competition—somewhat like the Nobel Prize in Literature here. I was curious about what kind of work qualifies as a Palanca Award winner.

The third book, Ang Kapangyarihan Higit Sa Ating Lahat, is tagged for mature readers. I’m not sure if it’s full of gory murders, corruption, suicide, or something more explicit. The book’s design, though, is an eyesore, with bright pink and yellow fonts. I still wonder how that cover got approved!

Another book that caught my attention was Mga Walang Pangalan Pero Andyan. Just looking at it tugged at my heart. It’s an illustrated book about stray cats, highlighting their struggles to survive on the streets. It’s a perfect coffee table book, especially for cat cafes or communities with lots of cats. It also promotes “Adopt, don’t shop.” However, it’s priced at Php 1,200, which is steep, and there’s no mention of proceeds going to help stray cats. Maybe I’ll pick it up next time.

In the end, my trip to MIBF 2024 was quite satisfying. I hope next year I’ll have a bigger budget to spend on more books. I might drop by 19th Avenida again to pick up the Trese volumes I missed. I might even explore more titles by local authors. Hopefully, NBS will offer more interesting books in the Php 99 and Php 199 bargain sections next year.

Mona Lisa Blossoming

It always intrigue me if the book is being compared to the works of my favorite author Laurell K Hamilton. Publisher weekly has dubbed it as fans of LKH will love Sunny's Monere series. That was enough reason for me to buy the book. And it has been sitting in my closet for almost a year before I decided to read it with reasons that I have already read all the Jim Butchers and all the LKH's books that I have and I was forced to look into the books that I have brought on a sale and choose which one to read coz I don't have the money these days to buy a new book.

Anyway, The Monere... according to the book are the children of the moon which is the basis of the legends about vampires and werewolves/wereanimals. But there political/society structure is more like the bees. The Monas "thus explains the name of the main character Mona Lisa" are the queens of their race/species. In every territory there comes a queen which rules and its rare for men in there species rule a territory. In the beginning of the book, upon knowing the Monere origin, what brought to mind is the story of Sailormoon. (you know the anime: "Moon crystal power... MAKE UP!" LOL) But going deeper into the novel i started to understand and accept why most book reviewers and authors like publisher weekly has compared it to LKH. Sunny's Monere series has a touch of Anita Blake and Merrideth Gentry. Instead of vampires there are the Demon Dead. Instead of the Ravens of the unseelie queen theres the warlords.

The story is more about politics, the struggle of the monere monarchs. This is another series that is set in new orleans. This is the 2nd book of the monere series of Sunny. Too bad I couldn't find the first book tittled Mona lisa Awakening. So i hope this Manila book fair this sept i will find the the first book of this series. I really love it when i find another gold amongs a thousand of copper.

LKH - Merrideth Gentry Series

Faes, Sidhe... Unseelie - the dark side of the sidhe, Seelie - the shining throng of the side people. Unlike LKHamilton's AnitaVerse, In her Gentry series its all about the fae, the inter political play within sidhe and the human society. Just like in the ABVH, in this world the sidhe's are legal citizens of the united states. As long as they won't go into civil war with each other and that they won't let human's worship them again as god's then they are welcome to stay in u.s. grounds.

Story started when merry was summoned by his aunt, Queen of the Unseelie court, Andeas, Queen of Air and Darkness. She told marry that she will be stepping down as queen. That who ever gets her a grandchild first, will get the crown. The race will be between marry and the Queen's son and merry's cousin Cel. Cel, is a lunatic perse that would make his mother, andias.. look sane. And we are talking about extreme BDSM here. That sometimes Andias gets carried away that her BDSM activity turns into something that you can watch in any saw movie. Now, since the story revolves around merry and cel getting pregnant, expect a lot of sizzling fae sex in almost all the pages of the book. If Anita blake series fan complained about the recent sex marathon in its books. In the gentry series, on its first book its been sex sex sex already. WOW.. *giggles* talk about all kinds of kink, i think you can almost find it here. However, Merry has been a busy girl trying to get pregnant, shes also busy trying to defend herself. Enter Frost and Doyle, the queen's Darkness and Killing Frost. Best Ravens (queen's personal body guard). They were given to merry by the queen for her safety. Unlike any monarchy politics, there are a lot of sidhe that doesnt want her to be the next week, afraid that it will be the death of thier race if a half human half sidhe will claim the thrown. So... assasins is always at bay. Then there's her cousin who will do anything just to get the thrown. Then later in the books, Taranis, king of light and illusions and King of the seelie also wants marry to be her queen since he heard that marry was able to give back a sidhe's godly powers that they have lost millions of years ago.

Underneath all those sex, fae politics and sex again. Not only am I hooked up to the series because of its sizzling sex but also that fact that LKHamilton did a lot of research about the sidhe people. (thats celtic mythology for you) The great hunt, the nightmere, every sidhe folklore she put life into it in modern times. And just like her ABVH series, This series is I think closer to truth when it comes to celtic myths and folklores. Some might think its a waist of time, that its just all about sex. No really if you see pass the sex in the story.You could find loyalty, friendship and love in the context of its story.

I love this book, this is #2 best paranormal series in my list. #1 is her Anita Blake Series. ^_^ I am so addicted to LKHamilton that my lick of frost book copy is a collector's edition. Well almost all my LKHamilton's are 1st editions. What's so special with Lick of Frost is that my copy is autographed by LKHamilton herself. *sighs dreamyly*

The next installment of the series will be coming out in November. For now the series is in its 7th volume, 8th including the one to be release in november.

Skin Trade

It has been a year for me that I have waited for this book. Finally it was out and I needed to wait further for my payday in able to buy the book but... It was worth the wait.

Skin Trade, 17th novel of Laurell K Hamilton's Anita Blake Series. I am a bit disappointed, Micah was not in the book. That's like 2 succeeding books without my favorite NimeRaj "wereleopard king" When I was reading this book, it took me back to Obsidian Butterfly. Why? with reasons that Edward was there, Olaf and Bernardo and it didn't happen in st. Louis, it happened outside state like in Obsidian Butterfly.

Now we all know that Vittorio is back in this book, with a vengence. He mailed the head of the local executioner of Las Vegas to Anita, so she flew to Vegas with out even talking to Jean-claude. It is nice for a change that Richard isn't mentioned in this book. Good ridding, his becaming a pain in the ass for both JC and AB anyway. But a lot of interesting revelation has been uncovered in this book. For example, Marmee Noir, a.k.a mommy dearist was a necromancer before she became a vampire. I did not add shapeshifter coz we already know that in the previous books. Also Vittorio isn't really Vittorio his name was Father Day or Father of the Tigers. Apparantly in the book it hinted that Vittorio and Marmee has some pass and eventually their greed of power has became the reason the two of them has turned agianst each other. This time Skin Trade is not full of sex and sex in almost all pages and no more crime solving thing as compared to the middle books of this series which most fans back when this series started actaully hated. Skin Trade looks like it revive the essence of the series from the very beginning. Murder investigations, police work and a lot less of the vampire politics. But the sex is still there in the later part. hehe.

LKH hasn't disappointed me yet in her ABVH novels. I'm still going to collect them all and read them all. Its unlike any vampire books I have read. Not to mention, its the only vamp series I know where vampires and other preternatural creatures are legal citizins of the world. For me nothing could beat the ABVH series. I hope the TV series that they are making will not a disappointment. But I believe LKH's desision on that. I mean look at the marvel version of ABVH, it is word for word with the book. I hope it will be the same in the TV series.

Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Series

ABVH has been around for more than a decade already. Most reviews on it has been compared to Buffy the vampire slayer. But Anita is far more than Buffy. Shes a kick ass cynical girl. I think thats the reason why i like her bec she doesn't take crap with anyone and definitely doesn't kiss asses.

Series Started with GUILTY PLEASURES. The book tells how JEAN-CLAUDE raise to power as the new master of the city of St. Louis MO. How he placed the 1st and 2nd mark to Anita to make her his human servant. A Human Servant is the eye and ears of the vampire when the vampire is asleep at day. Well by the word SERVANT i believe you already know what that means. The servant make sures the master he/she serves will be taken cared of. its like having a private secretary in the same time having an elf like santa's little helpers. lol. But Anita doesnt really want to be JC's Human servant so she constantly denys his claim, GP is already released as a graphic novel under the debel brothers which is now under MARVEL.

The next book in the series is LAUGHING CORPSE. Theres nothing much in this book. Only that you tend to know more about our heroin in the series. How she came into her necromantic powers, how she got the job in Animator's Inc. And a touch of voodoo magic is in the story. CIRCUS OF THE DAMN is something you need not to miss in the series. Here, you will learned about more in vampire politics and the Vampire Council. The council is composed by 12 individuals. One of this individual is Oscar other wise known as the Earth mover. WEll bec his power can move the earth, can cause tremors on the very ground your standing. He challenges JC and offered ANita to get rid of JC in exchange that she herself will be free from his bounds. She nearly betrayed JC in this book. It is also in this book where we will meet Richard for the first time. Which eventually you will find out to be an emotional unstable werewolf.

Next book is LUNATIC CAFE. Here we get to know the local wolf pack of st. louis. And the ever wicked sexy Rianna, the werewolf LUPA... in plain english... werewolf queen to Marius's Ulfric "king". Also we get to know Gabriel the ever sadistic nimni-raj "wereleopard king" and star of Rainna's wickedly sex videos.

Bare with me everyone, This series has "atm" 16 books and the 17th book is scheduled to be release in June2009.


BLOODY BONES and BLUE MOON are books which is set outside St. Louis.

The book after it is the KILLING DANCE. Its where Anita first saw Richard turn into a werewolf right above her and she was forced to accept the 3rd mark to save both JC and Richard. Its also in this book that Anita ran away from Richard when she saw him eat the former ulfric and took the throne for himself. She ran away from him to the arms of JC for comfort thus beginning her dating the master vampire and accepting him in her life.

The next book BURNT OFFERINGS is a struggle of power and the test by the council to JC's teretory and power. They were visited by two vampire council member. PAdma "the BEast master" since he can control any wereanimal that existed. And Traviler coz he can transfer his soul "if vampires have soul" to any being. Here they have invaded JC's daytime resting place and held hostage all his people. So its in this book were Anita need to give a good show to the council that she is a good human servant. This is also when you gets to know more about vampire politics and the vampire council members.

OBSIDIAN BUTTERFLY is a book sit in New Mexico and JC and Richard is out of the picture in this book. The only male alpha in this book is EDWARD (NO! his not a vampire and his more than a kick ass male alpha than pathitic emo Edward in twilight). EDWARD the oh so sexy bounty hunter... and cruel if i may add. He kills without mercy. He's a bounty hunter for hire once he was hired to kill humans. But lately humans has bored him so he hunted wereanimals or vampires or anything that goes bumpy in the night. Both he and anita might not admit it but they are sure is a match made from hell. not in the since of love if i may point that out. oh wait, edward did said in this book that anita is his soulmate. lol and she didnt went gogo eyes on him, thats what i like about her. This book is one of my favorites in the series.

The next following books - NARCISUS IN CHAINS, CERELIAN SINS,INCUBUS DREAMS are the reason why some readers of the searies have stopped reading the series. Well for me it gave me more reasons in collecting the series. Its because of the sizzling sex with vampires and with the wereanimals. Some found it sickening I on the other hand find it... no words can describe it i just cant stop giggling and oggling over it. There were less murder scenes in this book and has centered into stablishing Anita's relationship with the vampires and how her power and JC's power is growing increasing. CS we meet Belle Morte through her servant and by the end of the book JC is already declared his own fountain head. Meaning he has his own blood line now no longer known under the blood line of Belle morte.
with all the many men of Anita's men Micah the ever perfect boyfriend of Anita got to have a novel of his own. Much to many disapointments the book didnt really showed the reader about Micha's mysterious past. Only that he is a sole survivor of a wereleopard attack.

DANSE MACABRE is the 13th book in the series. Its the first time in the series that 3 master vampires from other city will visit St. Luois for a grand ballet. Here we met the Master vamper of Chicago which will play a major role in the up coming book in june2009 tittled "SKin Trade".

In THE HARLIQUIN we know more about Marmee Noir "mother of all darkness" Here it is known that she is nearly awake from her thousand years sleep in the darkness. No one really knows if she wants Anita for herself or if she wants her eliminated after all it was Marmee Noir who declared a decree on death on all necromancers in her time.

Lastly but not the last... BLOOD NOIR is a full novel story set in North Carolinia in the city of JAson. Our well loved werewolf, pom de sang of JC. inshort... his the master's food. Here we look into the life and times of Jason the werewolf. It also brings an over view on what will be the next big thing in the next book. As you can see, in this book Marmee Noir is starting to control anita's hunger of sex "the adhoir" (i dont know if i got the spell right ^_^)

I have never been sooo addicted to an author before that i actually bought all her books even the anthologies. I also collect her Merry Gentry Series but thats for another blog coz this is going too long already. AS i was saying, even though i already have her books and the comic version of GP and LC are like mirrors of each other i still cant help myself in buying them and collecting them. So yes.. im an LKH fanatic. LKH is actually the 2nd author i knew about in writing vampires. And oh no her vampires are not the Anne Rice vampires nor Bram stoker's dracula. In her world Vampires and all other supernatural/paranormal creatures have rights and actually own businesses in the city. They have human servants and animal to call. in this case JC's animal to call is werewolves. With all vampire novels sprouting in the market i still say LKH vamps are the best. SOon if everything goes smoothly a t.v.s series will be aired soon under MGM productions. There are talks about making it into a movie. But i dont know about it, I mean Anne Rice got famous bec of interview of the vampire and Stephanie Meyer became an over night sansation bec of her twilight movie. Well with Anne Rice i read her books after i saw the movie. With twilight i remember being amazed of its wonderful cover but then returned it to the book shelf while rolling my eyes saying "oh god not another vampire cliche" well as a friend told me who bought the books for the sake of the pretty cover.. "dont bother reading it, you'l just get annoyed.. its like your reading an ANita wannabe..." LoL So i would still say ANITA BLAKE still kicks ass on all those vamp novels out there. ^_^

to know more about the Series visit the official LKH Philippine Book Circle.